Background

The UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 embraces the complexity of development and commits the organization to helping countries find faster, more durable solutions to achieve Agenda 2030. Important development trends like urbanization, climate change, and inequality pose significant challenges on our path to achieve the 2030 agenda of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNDP has begun incubating a number of strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring UNDP is ‘fit for purpose’ to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces. One such key strategic initiatives is the Accelerator Lab Network. The initiative is a recognition that increasingly interrelated development challenges require going beyond business as usual and single point, linear and silver bullet responses in development. Instead, they call for an interdisciplinary approaches and non-linear solutions that crowd in the collective efforts of variety of partners and tap into local insights and the knowledge of people closest to the problem and the solutions.

We are building the largest and fastest learning network of Accelerator Labs with 92 labs covering 116 countries embedded within UNDP’s global architecture. The new offering builds on the latest thinking from the fields of complexity science, lead user innovation and collective intelligence to accelerate development impact.

As the network is growing, so is our need to tell compelling stories about the work of the Accelerator Labs and how they accelerate progress towards the SDGs, specifically for an audience of public partners. The Accelerator Lab Global Team is looking for an Editor and Resource Mobilization Storyteller to strengthen its capacity to communicate and use storytelling to solidify relations with existing founding investors and help mobilize additional resources in 2021.

Objective:

The purpose of this procurement exercise is to contract an  individual consultant who will support the global communication efforts of the Accelerator Lab Network by producing, editing and proofreading strategic content and inspiring stories to retain existing founding investors and attract new donors with a focus on governmental donors.

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK

The Editor and Resource Mobilization Storyteller will support the global communication efforts of the Accelerator Lab Network. The consultant will be producing strategic content to retain existing founding investors and attract new donors with a focus on governmental donors.

Thanks to a proven experience in storytelling, a talent for catchy headlines and innate sense of concision, the consultant will help curate and tell some of success stories of the 92 Accelerator Labs worldwide.

The consultant is able to understand reflections written from an innovation and/or academic perspective (sometimes very technical and/or abstract) and translate them into stories for a wider audience.

The consultant will act as the editor and proof-reader of all English content dedicated to resource mobilization activities and high-level pitching documentation for the Executive Office. She/he will propose new engaging storytelling ideas for content published across owned and earned channels of the Accelerator Lab Network under the guidance and supervision of the Strategic Communications and Partnerships Specialist.

Please refer to the outputs below for more details.

• Lead on the delivery of donor reports (quarterly and annually), from content selection, writing, editing and proof-reading

  • Engage with Labs, decode innovation achievements and encode them into impact stories

  • Source compelling visuals

  • Create outline, cluster content

  • Write, edit and proofread based on existing report template and with the support of a design company if/when relevant

• Support the global Accelerator Lab team to develop compelling content packages to contribute to good stewardship of existing partnerships (founding investors) and attraction of new donors (public and private)

  • Assist in developing regular thematic content packages to engage existing and potential partners (presentations, talking points, one-pagers, video script…) on priority areas of the Accelerator Labs

  • Help translate insights into stories and train Lab members in doing so

  • Strong and consistent resource mobilization communications content is delivered to the Lab network on a regular basis to better engage partners locally

• Offer creative editorial support to test angles and formats which will help maximize reach and media attention (e.g. human stories, op-ed, podcast, memes, video script…)

• Support editing and proof-reading of materials:

  • All communication material prepared for the UNDP Administrator: internal briefing notes, speeches, op-ed…

  • Innovation knowledge products such as playbook, white papers, blogs

• Help optimize the editorial content workflow:

  • Manage and update the global Accelerator Labs communication content calendar, to ensure content coordination across different content gathering teams and channels.

  • Distribute content strategically to Labs and local communication officers

  • Update the Trello board

  • Support the Digital Content and Social Media Specialist in answering network queries, as needed

Devise tactics and processes to gather and curate local impact and human stories directly from the Lab members

Expected outputs and deliverables:

For purposes of this assignment, the Strategic Communications and Partnerships Specialist will supervise the contract and the performance of the contractor.

The consultant will engage with other relevant UNDP staff as needed. Detailed work plans, including timeline, external organizations and individuals to engage and consult with will be developed at the beginning of the assignment.

Payments will be made against certified timesheets at the end of every month.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work

• Ability to persuade others to follow

People Management

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

• Ability to get things done

• Ability to multi-task

• Ability to prioritize

Technical/Functional:

Primary:

• Knowledge of resource mobilization or fundraising requirements, specifically donor reports

• Ability to write, edit and proofread compelling content across multiple channels and formats

• Proficiency in managing an editorial calendar, sourcing stories worldwide and executing on editorial processes

• Public Engagement

  • Ability to engage UNDP’s constitutes and encourage action

• Strategic Planning

  • Ability to make decisions that align with strategy, vision, and mission

• Public Relations

  • Ability to manage the spread of information between the UNDP and the public

Secondary:

• Knowledge Management

  • Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge

  • Ability to engage with other agencies and forge productive working relationships

  • Ability to communicate the value of a product or service

Required Skills and Experience

• Advanced degree (master’s degree) in relevant field of communications, journalism, or related field. Or First degree acceptable with a minimum of five years of experience in relevant field.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of work experience required in the field of communications, media or journalism - required.

• Demonstrated track record of producing compelling written content preferably in a social cause-related role, specifically donor reports, video scripts, blogs, op-ed etc. Desirable.

• Outstanding skills in communications, and understanding of media, multimedia and donor communication required. - required

• Native English speaker able to deliver flawless error-free copy - required

• Experience in proof-reading English copy at the highest standards (executive office, CEO, senior management…) - required

• Proven ability to write and optimize copy for digital which drives action and traffic - desirable

• Experience with resource mobilization or fundraising techniques - required

• Visual sense of storytelling with experience in photo curation strongly preferred - desirable

• Understanding of international development; international relations; or environmental and/or other relevant issues strongly preferred. - desirable

• Demonstrated ability to thrive within a complex multicultural and multinational environment strongly preferred.- desirable

• Demonstrated experience in coordinating, hierarchizing and editing multiple sources of content, themes and stories - desirable

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;

• Working knowledge of another UN language would be an asset

Application Procedure

The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

• A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;

• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references; and

• URL link to 3 writing samples of stories/content written for donors or similar audience

• Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

• The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee (based on a 7 hour working day - lunch time is not included - and estimated 21.75 days per month).
• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; (excluding mission travel); living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.
• This consultancy is a home-based assignment, therefore, there is no envisaged travel cost to join duty station/repatriation travel.
• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.
• If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.
• The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation process

Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Being responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical evaluation - Total 70% (700 points):

• Criteria 1. Demonstrated track record of developing communication material (brochures, scripts, case studies, content packages digital and print, new editorial formats such as podcast, documentaries…) to raise funds and demonstrate impact, preferably in a social cause-related role Weight = 25%; Maximum Points: 175; (Special advantage will be given to candidates with social cause related relevant professional experience. Candidates with no social-cause related expertise will obtain a maximum of 130 points out 175 points)
• Criteria 2. Good knowledge/professional experience with storytelling, content curation, editing, and proofreading in English ideally in a global role with high English standards (Special advantage will be given to candidates with experience translating academic knowledge and/or innovation stories for a wider audience.) Weight = 20 %; Maximum Points: 140;
• Criteria 3. Relevance of the proven knowledge or professional experience communicating to institutional donors (public and/or private) Weight = 20 %; Maximum Points: 140;
• Criteria 4. Quality of the three self-authored writings proving ability to convey emotion and convince readers with impact messages, impeccable grammar Weight = 15 %; Maximum Points: 105.

• Interview (only for top 3 qualified candidates): Weight = 20 %; Maximum Points: 140.

Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will invite the top three shortlisted candidates obtaining 70% i.e., 392 points, of the desk review scores for interview. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (490 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (700 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (300 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

p = y (µ/z), where

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Contract Award

Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.

Institutional arrangement

The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of Communications and Partnerships Specialist HQ/EXO and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.

The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop.

Payment modality

• Payment to the Individual Contractor will be made based on the actual number of days worked, deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager.

• Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified above and deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager.

• The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7 hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs

Annex 2 - IC Contract Template

Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions

Annex 4 – RLA Template

Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org 

The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by email and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.